15 Minute Vegan Red Beans and Rice (No Oil)

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 14:52:35 GMT

We all want something that’s quick and easy for a weeknight dinner – but what if it could be healthy too? My vegan red beans and rice are the answer. Use organic canned beans, some prepped onion and bell pepper and it’s on the table in minutes. Serve over leftover rice or any grain that needs to be used up in the fridge!

Spoon carved by Faith Regn

Why is Monday red beans and rice day?

Red beans and rice originate from Louisiana. Women used to make red beans on Mondays while they did laundry and it has become a New Orleans tradition to have them every Monday.

Can red beans and rice be frozen?

One of the things I love about beans is that you can cook them and then freeze them for later. Even though in this recipe we are using canned beans to make this in minutes, you could use pre-cooked kidney beans that you froze as well.

One thing that I often do is freeze lunch portions of stews with the grain. So I would totally freeze any leftover red beans and rice ready to heat up!

Are red beans and rice supposed to be soupy or thick?

I’ve seen them both ways, but I like my beans thick and creamy!

What do I mean by creamy beans?

I’m a southern girl and grew up on pinto beans cooked down until the break down, but don’t quite turn into a puree. If you look at the photos in this post you’ll see what I mean <3

Spoon carved by Faith Regn

Are all red beans vegan?

Definitely not. Most traditional red bean recipes have some kind of animal product in them. If you are in a restaurant make sure to check with the chef before you order them!

Zatarain’s red beans are vegetarian, but not vegan. Also they are no gluten-free in case you needed to know.

Popeyes red beans are not vegan – they contain pork fat. If you happen to be there make sure to skip their green beans too because they contain turkey bacon. It is not a vegan friendly place.

Are red beans and rice gluten-free?

I haven’t seen any red bean and rice recipes that have gluten in them, but if you use a mix to make them look for a gluten-free symbol on the package because some additives and thickeners could contain gluten.

All my red bean recipes are gluten-free and super easy to make. Plus they are cheaper to make.

What do I eat with red beans?

You can served with your favorite long grain rice. I love serving with Instant Pot dirty rice or red rice. I highly recommend serving a gumbo with it too.

I have recipes for a butternut squash gumbo, jackfruit gumbo with black rice, or an IP mushroom gumbo.

How do I season vegan red beans and rice?

In the non-vegan version of traditional red beans and rice it gets its smoky flavor from a meat addition. You can still add that flavor and keep the dish vegan. Liquid smoke is your friend!

The animal fat makes the traditional version creamy, but I have a vegan trick up my sleeve. I mash some of the beans to create the same mouthfeel and creamy texture.